2 feared dead in subsidence

TT, Alipurduar, May 7: Two persons are feared dead after the earth collapsed while digging a well at Kartick Tea Estate in Birpara this morning.

Sources said Biren Ekka, 35, and Kartik Sai, 30, might be trapped under the earth.

Today around 9.30am, the workers went inside the well, more than 30ft deep, to set concrete rings around the border.

“It was drizzling and after 15 minutes, suddenly the earth collapsed and they got trapped. We have been doing this kind of work for many years but this is the first time that an accident like this happened. I was also working near the site. I think the landslide happened because the soil is sandy and it was raining,” said Daneil Ekka, Biren’s father.

The garden in Samuktala is 40km from here.

Garden manager Uttam Chakroborty informed Samuktala police station and Alipurduar fire station and after an hour, 20 fire fighters reached the spot. But they could not start the rescue operation as they did not have equipment.

Around 11am, an excavator of the garden was pressed into service and later two other excavators were also brought to the site.

“The soil is sandy and it was raining, hampering the rescue work. We suspect that the workers are dead. The bodies are yet to be found,” said Bhashkar Roy, a fire official.

Chakraborty said: “Wells are often dug up in the garden for irrigation. We don’t know how this accident happened. We are co-operating with the government officials.”